Kumar Sanu not against remake of old songs

Kumar Sanu the iconic playback singer of the 90s feels it’s great that songs from yesteryears are making a comeback.

Sanu who once reigned as the best male playback singer in Bollywood, told the Hindustan Times that remakes are a good way of giving fans of the original song a trip down memory lane, but also introducing new younger listeners to a classic with a twist. “This is not a bad thing. It’s more like old wine in a new bottle for teenagers who aren’t even aware that such beautiful songs existed. And they are, in fact, lapping up these songs. In a way, the trend is giving a new lease of life to these popular tracks.”

However Sanu does explain it’s also understandable if someone who prefers the original song, dislikes the remake. “To give an example, someone who heard an old Kishore Kumar original, might not like the new version. I also think that if possible, even the remade version should be recorded in the voice of the original singer. In a way, it’s interesting to see the newness he or she will add to the song. This might help in retaining the popularity for a longer time as music lovers would like it more.”

Though Sanu has made it clear that there is one song of his which he believes should remain untouched – “Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye”, from the film ‘Jurm’ (1990). “The song Jab Koi Baat Bigad Jaye (Jurm, 1990) is one of those songs that the audience might not accept (as) anything other than the original version as it has a different appeal altogether.”

Recently Sanu has completed a Durga Puja album ahead of Navratri. “I have been planning to do another album for Durga Puja. I couldn’t do one last year, so this year I decided not to give it a miss.”